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tow limits..


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What are Tow Limits based on?

 

I know when you are renting a trailer from UHaul they pretty much base it on vehicle weight more than anything. so if you slam on your brakes and the weight of the object you are carrying starts pushing on you you have enough weight to keep it back.

 

The stock Legacy Tow limit says 2500lbs..

 

I'm looking at buying a Challenger X this coming spring for some skiing and wakeboarding..

http://www.seadoo.com/NR/rdonlyres/ACF1A988-6BAC-46C9-A3A7-41A6B64CF547/0/Bkg_02_Medium.jpg

The listed weight is 2,075 lbs dry..

the trailer is around 500lbs.. so with equiptment/gas etc.. im probably looking at around 2,750..

But I have a hell of alot more power (stage 2) than stock and a hell of alot better brakes on the way.. So my question is, does anyone think I'll have any problems towing this thing? I know getting it out of the water on the slippery docks is probably the real question, but do you think by adding power and brakes you in turn up the towing capacity a little?

-Tronix(weight out)GT

for more pics and info... http://angevine.org/legacy/legacy.html
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..........The stock Legacy Tow limit says 2500lbs..

 

Tow limits are set by the vehicle manufacturer. For the turbo LGT, the limits are 1000lb for a trailer without brakes, and 2700lb for a trailer with its own brakes. Max tongue load is 200lb.

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When I bought my car, the saleswomen told me to never tow w/ my subaru :rolleyes:

 

Should I follow this advice? If I wanted to tow a trailer w/ a 4 wheeler on it or a six person pop-up camper, would this be okay or would it damage anything? I do not have the GT, I have the 2.5 i ltd

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I tow often, but I try and use my wifes rig (suv) rather than my car.

 

I don't really care what the specs say, but would rather base it on feel and abuse factor. One factor "they" dont factor in or mention is how big the unit you are towing is. In other words a 1,000 lb jet ski traier will tow ok, but a box trailer (or camper) that only weighs 950 will be much harder and dangerous to tow.

 

In my opinion: I would not tow anything more than 1000ish lbs for any distance. If you are towing 5-10 miles to a boat launch I wouldnt go more than 2000lbs.

 

I wouldnt tow that jet boat - no way

 

Be sure to let that turbo cool!

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The mfg DRY weight is usually "rounded down"

The actual weight between gas and oil - (approx 350lbs), ski gear, anchor, life vests, Beer Cooler!, and trailer will really add up - True total weight is probably more like 3,200 lbs plus increased tongue weight depending on placement.(and the wind drag) You will have enough hp & brakes to stop it. However, it will look and feel like you are towing with a go cart - It can be done, but I would not do it.

 

Again, I have done a lot of towing from , snowmobiles, jet ski, campers and boats, and I ve been in your situation - no Fun and beats on your car.

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The Car will have plenty of power to tow it, and if you have a manual transmission, you should not need an tyranny cooler unless you are driving around the city a lot.

 

The problem is with braking and tongue weight. That is just too much boat for this car. Surge brakes are required by law in Ohio, for +2000, and most other states are 3000. And I would not attempt to tow any trailer over 2000 without them. Tongue weight is the other issue, with any other people or gear in the back seat you will be exceeding the weight rating on your tires.

 

To tow that boat, you will need a mid-size SUV or Pickup (A compact Pickup may work but will be a handful) I have towed a 2000 pound boat with a 4 cyl ranger with an automatic (at its max rated tow weight with gear and trailer), and it was very interesting trying to stop, and on any uphill it had serious trouble keeping up speed. Luckily I only had to go a couple of miles. That same boat towed with a GMC Envoy rated for 5700 lbs, felt OK.

 

I would recommend keeping any boat and trailer under 1800 pounds with the legacy, because by the time you actually put the stuff in it you will need, you will be at what would be maximum rated weight. (with Surge Brakes on the trailer)

 

A link that may be useful, with laws and tow ratings of various vehicles.

 

http://www.rvsafety.com/state.htm

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  • 5 years later...

This was the first thread google linked me to when searching for the Legacy tow capacity so I figured I would give it a bump. I've found a 2005 Sea Doo Speedster 200 that I think I want to buy. The boat looks like an absolute blast with twin supercharged engines and 370hp total. That is besides the point though as I need to be able to tow it. My Legacy GT has full exhaust and a tune, as well as upgraded clutch, but unfortunately that means it is a manual trans.

 

It is absolutely insane to think of towing this 2700lb boat (dry) with the Legacy, even if just for a short drive to the launch? I'm going to rig up a trailer extension so I don't sink the car. Seems easy enough to rig up and should give me an extra 10ft of trailer length that I can add at the launch site. The boat trailer would obviously have to have brakes. Is this even remotely possible to pull off?

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Overweight towing is one of the three scariest things I've done in a vehicle. It's not about how much weight your car can pull, it's about how much mass your car can stand being shoved around by. A quick google shows 2700 as the rated capacity. I wouldn't do it.

 

I wouldn't recommend you do it. You're focused on your powertrain and think the towing distance has any bearing on safety. If there's one curve, hill, pedestrian or other car on your route then it doesn't matter how many miles the trip is- there's an incident that you can only trust to luck to get through.

 

But to answer your question: yes, it's possible to do.

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That is how I always thought about distance towing. Once you get on a freeway and up to the minimum speed and in the far right lane then there really shouldn't be anything that should screw you up. A 500 mile trip would just burn more gas than a 5 mile trip under those circumstances. I suppose I should look for a cheap tow truck as well. I'm thinking a $1500 special that I just leave in storage should get the job done.
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If you have a trailer with brakes you shouldn't have any problems. Then it's more about how much weight the trailer puts on the hitch.

 

My trailer (actually a howitzer) had brakes. We never had a problem with them being overweight for our trucks until one rainy day on I-81, then we never knew if we would make it to the bottom of the hill in one piece. Tongue weight really wouldn't have been a factor- towed howitzers are well balanced, but that thing moved our truck around quite a bit. We managed to keep things straight and got where we were going but it was a really bad day.

 

It's not about horsepower or braking power, it's about heft. If your tow car doesn't have enough heft to shrug off whatever your trailer tries to make it do, you're setting yourself up for failure. I don't recommend it.

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  • 1 year later...

I'm going to bring this thread up from the dead. With an 05 Legacy 2.5i, I am thinking of pulling a 13 foot camper, which is rated at 950 pounds dry, and let's say 1300 with everything in it. I want to drive from CT to CO with this setup. I know I am not pushing the towing limits. But I am concerned about 2 things.

 

1. Am I putting excessive wear on the clutch?

2. I know it dangerous to tow a trailer, but is this plan downright stupid, even if I drive very responsibly?

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Any experience or info to back this up? The 2005 Legacy/Outback was listed as #10 as the best car to tow with: http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-vehicles-for-towing.html

 

I am going to be living in CO over the winter and running my business on the road, so the UHaul does not apply in this case. That would cost a fortune.

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The other factor is insurance.

 

If your car is rated at 1000 w/o brakes and 2700 w/brakes (and that number usually goes down unless the car is empty with just a 200lb driver in it.).

 

Let's say a deer runs out from that highway and you have to swerve into the center lane. You tag a family and end up hurting/killing them. Your insurance will NOT cover you. They will say you were not in compliance and therefore they will be off the hook, leaving you and your house on the hook.

 

I've done it but didn't like it. Used to tow a 11,500lb triple axle boat trailer with my 04 Armada rated at 6500 w/o a weight distributing hitch and 9100 w/weight distributing hitch.

 

Had I gotten in an accident I would have been screwed.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/145749898/original.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/logos/perf1.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

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Mike,

Thank you for the input that is a good point. I will be calling my insurance to have the trailer covered.

 

However, if the towing rating is 2700 pounds, I will not be over capacity. I am going to be pulling 1400 pounds, with trailer brakes.

 

Yeah just make sure you read the owners manual on the limits. If the limit is 2700-1400 that leaves 1300 for gear, people and fuel in the tow vehicle. Checking with your ins carrier is the safest route.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/145749898/original.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/logos/perf1.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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The other factor is insurance.

 

If your car is rated at 1000 w/o brakes and 2700 w/brakes (and that number usually goes down unless the car is empty with just a 200lb driver in it.).

 

Let's say a deer runs out from that highway and you have to swerve into the center lane. You tag a family and end up hurting/killing them. Your insurance will NOT cover you. They will say you were not in compliance and therefore they will be off the hook, leaving you and your house on the hook.

 

I've done it but didn't like it. Used to tow a 11,500lb triple axle boat trailer with my 04 Armada rated at 6500 w/o a weight distributing hitch and 9100 w/weight distributing hitch.

 

Had I gotten in an accident I would have been screwed.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/145749898/original.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/logos/perf1.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

 

That why you hit the deer. Ins. Co. will cover that. Because if a deer jump right out in front of you. Your not going to stop in time anyway. Keep it straight, keep in your lane, so no one else is involved but you.

 

OP, other tow threads; http://legacygt.com/forums/showthrea...cy-144604.html

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/towing-uhaul-6x12-legacy-2-5i-sedani-167677.html?highlight=towing

 

Search, tow, towing & towed in Advanced Search in "titles search only" for other threads.

Mileage:331487 Retired/Sold

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Mike,

I don't think the 2700 includes passengers, that would be including in the max gross vehicle weight. The 2700 is for towing. However, you would need to apply the tongue weight into the gross vehicle weight.

 

I'm not a professional in this area, but I just want more people to chime in that know their towing. I see people in the other threads pulling 2500+ pounds, and ya that amount is bad for the car. But this is about 1400 pounds with electric brakes. My main issues of concern now is the wheelbase of the Legacy, and the wheelbase of the trailer.

 

I really want to find someone that has pulled similar weight and their experiences with it. Anyone?

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Any experience or info to back this up? The 2005 Legacy/Outback was listed as #10 as the best car to tow with: http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-vehicles-for-towing.html

 

I am going to be living in CO over the winter and running my business on the road, so the UHaul does not apply in this case. That would cost a fortune.

 

That article is hilarious. Its got like a 3500 DRW Diesel ram, A 2500 Suburban and a bunch of other vehicles that probably weigh 2x the legacy/outback and then there is a outback and hyundai elantra. :lol:

 

Either way it sounds terrible. I tow with a 4700 lb Trailblazer SS with aftermarket sway bars and panhard rod and is rated for 6500 lbs towing and even that can feel a 1500 lb flatbed atv trailer.

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